A US woman who shot and killed her husband and two adult children before taking her own life is thought to have committed the shocking crime as a result of being ostracised from the religion she was raised in.

A federal judge sentenced a former Arkansas judge Wednesday to five years in prison — a stiffer punishment than prosecutors recommended — after he admitted giving young male defendants lighter sentences in return for personal benefits that included sexual favours.

Every time I tell a mate I’m doing a story on cryptocurrency, they invariably ask me the same two questions: should they invest their own hard-earned money, and which cryptocurrency will get them a Lamborghini/yacht/island quickest?

In a 60 Minutes online exclusive, reporter Liz Hayes quizzed Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on his relationship with the unpredictable Twitter aficionado and US president Donald Trump ahead of their meeting at the White House Friday.

UK PM May has tough road ahead: Rudd

Theresa May has "got her work cut out" in trying to deal with the fallout of Brexit and stabilising the UK, according to Kevin Rudd.

The former Australian prime minister believes Mrs May's response has been sensible but warned the consequences of the decision by British voters to back Leave have 'not been good' for the world.

He added Europe is also facing a very arduous set of challenges, including to its role as a key player in global economics and security.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Rudd said of Brexit: "I'm a friend of the UK, have been throughout my life. The British people have spoken.

"The geo-political consequences, the geo-economic consequences for the world have not been good, let's be blunt about that.

"But in terms of what the British PM is now doing, I think that she is charting a sensible course of action to try and find a way through which stabilises this for Britain and stabilises it for the rest of the world.

"But I've got to say this is a very arduous set of challenges which have been presented to Europe.